Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-10-21
CHAPTER II.

Gay in heart, rejoicing yet conscious Of
On accompanying secret a&d not altogether
unpleasant melancholy, he walked rapidly
toward the village which, as he had con.
jecturcd, he did not reach until after ten.
He found It very quiet. Many Of the VII
layers were gone to the castle grounds TO
view the festRl scene. For there was in
progress u ball to which he had been in
vited.
On table in his room at the inn, lay q
motto from his friend, handsome young
Englishman, with whom he had Travelled
oyer the continent.
"Dear Fairfax, II ran, II can't wait for
you longer. Am of to the ball, but will
send back the carriage for you.-Yours,
DICK OXFORD"
While Mr.. Fairfax is busy, attiring him
self, 1t may not be amiss to give brief de-
soription Of his personal appearance and
past life.
There was nothing especially attractive
in the mans looks. His face had an observ-
ant, rather open and bright expression. His
height was barely medium; his form slight.
His features were not even regular. Dark
brown hair and beard, parted in the middle,
formed a fitting contrast TO his rudy COM
pleGlon. He would strike the careless OBJ
server as fellow Of ordinary attainments
and ability -nght-hearted and honest, but
utterly incapable Of setting the Lifey on
| hre.n
His eyes were study.
In some lights thev looked blue. in others
brown A closer inspection discovered them
TO be decidedly green and mottled with dots
OF rusty brown; and II, also, was apt TO re-
veal the totally unsupported fact that, far
In their depths-behind an apparent frank.
ness and boyishness that seemed TO vail
/ from observation the real motives and feel
ings Of the heart and that invariably throw
the stranger of his guard and caused him
to miscalculate as 10 the ability and designs
OF his new acquaintance behind all this
lurked strong dash Of recllessness, yet
wlthal' determination, which passing
glance certainly would never give the own
or credit for possessing This discovery, in
turn led TO the instant conviction that, when
aroused, this apparently easy good-natured
follow might develop many surprising
traits oven such as the entire casting aside
OF conscientious scruples in order 10 gain
his ends.
II it is asked what had boon tho cause Of
his unpleasant medltations along tho high
way, that Is easily told.
He was an American, well-born but poor
His friends and relatives, from the first, op-
posed his choice Of profession, declaring
the latter TO be unmanly, enervating and al.
together impracticable. He himself began
TO doubt his own abilities His was plant,
impressionable nature, easily influenced by
others not wholly from weakness; but also,
because his natural lack Of selfconhdence
had been aggravated by a mistaken course
Of early discipline which taught him always
TO yield to the opinion OF his elders The
constant reiteration Of dismal prophecies,
IN strust OF his own talents, and, above all
the unwilling, disappointed acquiescence Of
his parents in his choice oil this caused
him TO wavor in the wish Of his youth, and,
at last, TO abandon it.
Disheartened and imbittered at tho
thought Of foregoing the one and only real
desire of his life, he now became drifting,
unhappy man; uncertain what TO do, APP
parently incapable Of selecting profession ;
soured as much as one Of His happy disposi-
tons could be; unfit for any immediate du-
ties and, yet, obliged, in some way or other,